Reality Check

I checked this morning on Obama's favorable rating in the poll of polls – not the approval rating. It's one way to see whether a president has become personally tainted by a series of events. And it's worth recalling that presidential elections are not just about policy; they are also about character and termperament in a president. Over the past year, Obama has remained almost completely the same, with a favorable rating exactly where it was a year ago, around 49 percent. His unfavorables? Just as stable, at around 46 percent.The American public seems to have made up its mind about Obama the person.

Romney, interestingly, has remained just as stable, and as balanced, but at much lower levels of recognition (roughly 36 percent unfavorable, 35 percent favorable), meaning he has yet to be fully defined in the public's mind. He could do a lot worse, or better as he comes into view more clearly in the next few months. Palin? In the last year, her favorables have sunk from 37 to 30 percent, and her unfavorables have risen from 51 to 59. She commands a minus 29 percent rating. It keeps growing.